Power Light Mod

[StephenJ]

Hello everyone,

Does anyone know of a power-light mod schematic for the 2600 4 switch?

 

Thanks,

StephenJ

[Rex Dart]

What sort of power light mod requires a schematic?

[SlowCoder]

What sort of power light mod requires a schematic?

The kind that those of us who know enough to be dangerous with a soldering iron could use.

[StephenJ]

Rex Dart,

Please excuse the stupid question.

 

I thought maybe someone took the time to write down some helpful suggestions:

~ Best solder-points

~ Type of bulb

~ any resister needed

that sort of thing.

[A.J. Franzman]

IMO this topic is pointless, because:

 

A) anyone who knows enough to properly light an LED or light bulb, should be knowledgeable enough to figure out for himself how to wire it. This is just about the most basic level of electronics understanding that there is.

 

and

 

B) anyone who does NOT know enough to properly light an LED or light bulb, should not be messing around with the insides of his console -- even with a schematic diagram (which he probably wouldn't understand anyway).

Edited January 16, 2011 by A.J. Franzman

[SlowCoder]

IMO this topic is pointless, because:

 

A) anyone who knows enough to properly light an LED or light bulb, should be knowledgeable enough to figure out for himself how to wire it. This is just about the most basic level of electronics understanding that there is.

 

and

 

B) anyone who does NOT know enough to properly light an LED or light bulb, should not be messing around with the insides of his console -- even with a schematic diagram (which he probably wouldn't understand anyway).

That's incorrect. I can read schematics to build electronics. That doesn't mean I know exactly what it's doing. Given time I could probably build an flying airplane with proper instructions. Doesn't mean I have a great understanding of aerodynamics.

 

I had asked this exact same power light question some time ago. The discussion got rather long and involved timers and resistors because even a small LED apparently has the potential to draw too much current or would complete certain circuits that shouldn't be completed for the console to work properly if I just hooked it up parallel.

Edited January 16, 2011 by SlowCoder

[A.J. Franzman]

You can read an electronic schematic diagram, and build a physical circuit from one, but don't know that an LED operates within a specific current range (which is usually achieved by putting a resistor of a specific calculated value in series with the LED and a known voltage source)? That is totally weird, like an auto mechanic who doesn't know how to operate a car! Why would you go to the trouble of learning to read a schematic diagram, without learning the basics of how electricity works? I maintain that the specific case you claim, is highly unusual, and for the vast majority of readers, what I wrote in my previous post applies.

 

BTW, I have no clue what you're referring to with regards to "timers". That sounds like someone might have brought something extra into the previous discussion you mentioned, which only added to your confusion.

[nathanallan]

StephenJ,

 

Getting back to your question. Go to the power switch, make sure you get a positive and negative reading for the thing when it is on and off so you know where to attach it. Get a suitable resistor and LED and however much wire you need and drill a hole, mount the LED and presto you have a power light, no schematic needed. Anyone feel free to correct me or add in to getting a power light on the 2600.

[GroovyBee]

Anyone feel free to correct me or add in to getting a power light on the 2600.

 

Make sure you have the LED's anode and cathode the right way around. The side with the cathode is marked with a flat area on the rim around the body of the LED. You might find this Wiki entry helpful :-

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LED_circuit

[SlowCoder]

You can read an electronic schematic diagram, and build a physical circuit from one, but don't know that an LED operates within a specific current range (which is usually achieved by putting a resistor of a specific calculated value in series with the LED and a known voltage source)? That is totally weird, like an auto mechanic who doesn't know how to operate a car! Why would you go to the trouble of learning to read a schematic diagram, without learning the basics of how electricity works? I maintain that the specific case you claim, is highly unusual, and for the vast majority of readers, what I wrote in my previous post applies.

I don't know what your education background in electronics is ... betting it's fairly extensive. But I don't have any formal electronics training. When I was a kid my father and I did the Radio Shack thing, bought the electronics books and kits. Built some stuff. So I can read a simple schematic, and I can solder. And I understand the basic concepts of the components (resistors, capacitors, diodes, etc). But if you asked me what value resistor to use so that there isn't too much current running to the LED, I couldn't tell you.

 

Remember, not everyone has electronics in their blood. I'd be willing to bet that there are more of us who can read a schematic and make a working circuit, but can't explain exactly how it works, than there are electronics gurus on this board. We've all got to start somewhere.

 

BTW, I have no clue what you're referring to with regards to "timers". That sounds like someone might have brought something extra into the previous discussion you mentioned, which only added to your confusion.

Me either. Maybe I'm getting it mixed up with something else I was doing.

[StephenJ]

Just for the record, I have already modded my 2600 Jr. with the Parker's AV mod as well as the Pause mod sold here at AA. Things went very well so I decided to do the same with my 4 switcher.

As far as the Power-Light mod, of course I could fumble around at my local electronic shop for a not-too-modern looking light, found the most optimal tap for the power, tried a few resistor combinations. But, as I said before, I thought someone may have done this already and was willing to share notes.

 

Many thanks to those who offered the constructive comments,

StephenJ

[big_ang]

I'm surprised that nobody wants to be more helpful. I'm also a novice and have no formal electronics training.

 

You should Google "how to wire a LED" for more information about this topic.

 

You could use this site to determine what size resistor you need:

LED Calculator

 

Also, this is a good read:

Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs)

 

I would guess that you could solder right onto the +side of the voltage regulator. It should be +5VDC out.

Does anybody have a better spot to take + from?

 

I haven't even opened an Atari, but I bet the voltage regulator would look something like this:

 

You can buy the LED and a pack of 150 assorted resistors from Radio Shack for under $10.

Edited January 18, 2011 by big_ang

[Trinity]

Atari should have put a power light in the 2600 from the get go! It is really easy to forget the power is on.

[nathanallan]

big_ang, it's not really that nobody wants to be helpful, but the phrasing of the question just put us off (well, it kind of put me off, because an LED rarely needs a schematic).

[BigO]

I'm surprised that nobody wants to be more helpful. I'm also a novice and have no formal electronics training.

 

You should Google "how to wire a LED" for more information about this topic.

 

You could use this site to determine what size resistor you need:

LED Calculator

 

Also, this is a good read:

Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs)

 

I would guess that you could solder right onto the +side of the voltage regulator. It should be +5VDC out.

Does anybody have a better spot to take + from?

 

I haven't even opened an Atari, but I bet the voltage regulator would look something like this:

 

[...]

 

You can buy the LED and a pack of 150 assorted resistors from Radio Shack for under $10.

(I, too, am surprised by the cold reception on this. It seems out of character for AA to me.)

 

Except that it will be a 7805 where that photograph says 7812, that's pretty much what it should look like.

 

A brief look at the console schematic indicates that the power switch is upstream of the 7805 regulator so the regulator output seems like a nice simple place to pick up the needed supply voltage. Will also need a ground, of course. The middle terminal should suffice if we're trying to keep this as simple as possible.

Edited January 18, 2011 by BigO

[A.J. Franzman]

Does this really help? Because this is about what you asked for.

 

Edited January 19, 2011 by A.J. Franzman

[Prodos8]

You can buy 5v LEDs that already have an integrated resistor of the proper value, but they are about 20x more expensive than normal LEDs. A typical 5mm/3mm red or green LED will need a 150ohm current limiting resistor attached to the anode or cathode if powered by +5v like from the 7805. If you get a super high output or exotic color you may need a different resistor value and the calculator linked earlier in the thread can give you the value.

[BigO]

You can buy 5v LEDs that already have an integrated resistor of the proper value, but they are about 20x more expensive than normal LEDs. A typical 5mm/3mm red or green LED will need a 150ohm current limiting resistor attached to the anode or cathode if powered by +5v like from the 7805. If you get a super high output or exotic color you may need a different resistor value and the calculator linked earlier in the thread can give you the value.

With this posting, the OP should now have everything needed to perform the mod.

 

 

 

A note of encouragement: if you do happen to hook up the LED backward, the only thing that will happen is that it won't light up.

As long as you get the right resistor and don't short out any connections anywhere, this is a pretty low risk operation.

It doesn't matter which leg of the LED the resistor goes on.

[Osbo]

Does this really help? Because this is about what you asked for.

 

 

Chill out dude, don't be a dick.

[CGQuarterly]

IMO this topic is pointless, because:

 

A) anyone who knows enough to properly light an LED or light bulb, should be knowledgeable enough to figure out for himself how to wire it. This is just about the most basic level of electronics understanding that there is.

 

and

 

B) anyone who does NOT know enough to properly light an LED or light bulb, should not be messing around with the insides of his console -- even with a schematic diagram (which he probably wouldn't understand anyway).

 

That's a pretty snobby answer, and certainly is not helpful in any way. I have RGB-modded several of my consoles (including my NES, which is the most difficult to do) and I would not add an LED mod to one of my systems without having a diagram or some instructions. Having an understanding of electronics and knowing how to solder up something by following a schematic are two totally different things. I can use a soldering iron just fine and can read electronics schematics, but that doesn't mean that I can design a circuit, no matter how simple.

 

The guy was just asking for some simple information, and was polite about it even in the face of some rather douchey behavior. If you aren't going to help him, maybe laying off of the "add reply" button would be better than scaring away a forum newb. Posts like all three of yours in this thread do nothing to welcome a new member into the community. I don't care how long you've been around or what you've contributed to the scene. AA is better than other forums because we don't treat people like shit based on their post count or level of experience with things.

 

Pretty sad that the most helpful comment in this thread was made by someone with zero prior posts.

 

Chris

[mvigor]

After ten years of forum threads like "What's your favorite game?" and "What power adapter do I need?" the community jumps on a guy with a legitimate question?

 

He probably thought it would be easier to see if anyone already had instructions for this project rather than try to figure out for himself how to wire it, what size resistor to use, etc.

[CGQuarterly]

He probably thought it would be easier to see if anyone already had instructions for this project rather than try to figure out for himself how to wire it, what size resistor to use, etc.

 

Not just that, but I wouldn't want to go messing around inside one of my consoles without having a good idea of what I was going to be doing. According to some here, apparently I should take an EE class before I dare to mess with my systems, but really I just need instructions or a schematic, which was all the OP was asking for. I think he did the responsible thing by asking instead of just assuming that he could figure it out.

 

Chris

[Rex Dart]

After ten years of forum threads like "What's your favorite game?" and "What power adapter do I need?" the community jumps on a guy with a legitimate question?

 

He probably thought it would be easier to see if anyone already had instructions for this project rather than try to figure out for himself how to wire it, what size resistor to use, etc.

 

 

Yeah, that wasn't my intention with my reply up there. I was genuinely interested in knowing what sort of LED mod could require a schematic, because I'd never heard of such a thing & thought it could be interesting to find out... man. Sorry, StephenJ.

[BigO]

After ten years of forum threads like "What's your favorite game?" and "What power adapter do I need?" the community jumps on a guy with a legitimate question?

 

He probably thought it would be easier to see if anyone already had instructions for this project rather than try to figure out for himself how to wire it, what size resistor to use, etc.

 

 

Yeah, that wasn't my intention with my reply up there. I was genuinely interested in knowing what sort of LED mod could require a schematic, because I'd never heard of such a thing & thought it could be interesting to find out... man. Sorry, StephenJ.

I think the question was ultimately answered, albeit without an actual schematic being provided. A two component schematic wouldn't be all that impressive anyway.

[big_ang]

Pretty sad that the most helpful comment in this thread was made by someone with zero prior posts.Chris

 

I'm glad I could help! I think I'll try this mod soon. When I do, I'll post pics.

I'm patiently waiting for my A/V mod from Parker before I even open my Atari. Actually, I have 2 Atari's - 1 vader and 1 4-switch woodgrain. Maybe I'll try this mod on the vader this weekend.